hawkeyes from orlando
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00:00 through the offseason.
00:01 I think that's where it really starts.
00:04 If you watch a little bit of our practice today,
00:06 you can just see how hard we're going
00:08 and how attention,
00:10 like everything, we're so attention to the detail
00:12 and just all like the little things
00:14 and that's just a testament to them
00:15 and I think that's why we're able to play
00:17 so well on defense.
00:18 - It seems like when KB took over,
00:21 I don't know if it was your first year,
00:23 was his first year,
00:24 I can't remember going back that far, but.
00:26 - Yeah, no, you're good, you're good.
00:29 I get that all the time.
00:30 (laughing)
00:31 - You know, my mind's all the way back,
00:33 but I wanted to ask just about him
00:35 and his attention to detail,
00:37 'cause I know with specific guys,
00:38 like Noah has said before,
00:40 hey, you better be a technician
00:42 because at your size,
00:42 you're not gonna be able to just go out
00:44 and overwhelm people.
00:46 You know, how instrumental was he
00:48 as far as teaching fundamentals
00:49 and techniques and stuff?
00:52 - I mean, seriously, he is one of the best,
00:56 you could say teachers or best coaches to have.
00:59 I mean, we go through, you know,
01:01 it doesn't look very complex and it's very simple,
01:04 but we go through our basic fundamentals
01:07 every single day.
01:08 And we're doing that just so like in a game,
01:11 you know, my hands, where I gotta put my hat,
01:13 or I gotta put my hands,
01:14 where my, like my feet, my footwork,
01:17 I don't have to think about that, right?
01:19 It's just all second nature.
01:20 And he is phenomenal at, you know,
01:23 teaching those basics.
01:25 And it's crazy to see,
01:26 'cause me as a sixth year,
01:28 I've seen a bunch of freshmen classes come in
01:31 and you look at it and you're like,
01:33 "Oh gosh, like that guy's got a long way to go."
01:36 And then by like year two or year three,
01:38 you're like, "Dude, this guy's a ball player."
01:39 And it's a testament to him,
01:41 just how well of a coach he is
01:43 and how well of a teacher him and Coach Neiman are.
01:46 - What's the work that bug been like here?
01:50 - Oh yeah, boy.
01:50 - Oh, we all just been,
01:51 - Oh yeah, boy.
01:53 - Team has distracted me.
01:54 But no, we all begin to work, you know,
01:56 we've been splitting reps,
01:57 trying to get better out there, you know,
01:58 just focus on the game plan and everything.
02:01 - Can you focus on this interview
02:03 or you can't wait to?
02:04 - No, they distracted me,
02:05 really, if we being realistic.
02:06 So let me practice, come on, restart, let's go.
02:09 - When did you become boogie?
02:10 - Boogie, high school.
02:12 I got it from like a best friend.
02:14 His pop star called me boogie.
02:15 I don't know why he just started calling me this.
02:17 One day he was just like, "Yo, boogie."
02:18 And it just stuck with me.
02:20 - You like it?
02:20 - Yeah, I think it fit me now.
02:22 - So I think just describe your excitement level
02:25 to be in Orlando for a week
02:26 and playing a big bowl game like this.
02:28 - Oh, I'm more excited just to get the opportunity
02:30 to go out there one more time
02:31 with all my brothers in the 23 class
02:33 and go out there to compete again.
02:34 You know, we might not have the same team.
02:36 So it's just, it's always good to go out there
02:39 and have another opportunity to go out there
02:41 and compete with your brothers.
02:43 - I know they're all pretty good.
02:44 They're all pretty good boys.
02:45 You know, they've done a great job through the last year.
02:47 I know they had one guy, you know,
02:48 decided to opt out of it,
02:49 but you know, there's plenty of young guys
02:51 in that roster who have gotten plenty of minutes
02:53 throughout the year.
02:54 So, you know, they're a good defense.
02:55 So we're going to have to, you know,
02:56 definitely be on our A game for that.
02:58 - How have you been doing with some of the rest
03:01 with the rest of the infestation
03:02 that seems like it's improved a lot.
03:04 (indistinct)
03:06 How does it feel to be healthy?
03:11 I assume you're healthy now.
03:12 - Yeah.
03:13 - Do you feel better?
03:14 - Yeah, no, definitely.
03:15 You know, I feel a hundred percent healthy,
03:16 which feels good.
03:17 It's been a long time since that's happened for me.
03:19 And, you know, if I do that stuff through the years,
03:22 taught me a lot of things mentally, I think,
03:23 but to be able to work on things physically
03:25 and some of the fundamentals and really, you know,
03:27 be able to focus on the football part is really,
03:29 you know, mind clearing.
03:30 And I think coach Farrance and coach Barnett
03:33 and a bunch of the coaches have done a great job,
03:34 you know, managing some guys throughout the bowl prep.
03:37 You know, this is a time kind of like spring ball
03:38 where a lot of younger guys get a lot of reps
03:40 like they're doing right now, but for, you know,
03:42 the O line has been really good for us.
03:44 And I think we've definitely got a lot better
03:45 over the past two weeks.
03:46 - Yeah, I think it looks like the play hurts.
03:48 You guys have all been putting in the best time
03:51 to get to this point in the season.
03:53 - Yeah.
03:54 - You have that refreshing energy,
03:54 you're healthier at this point.
03:56 - Yeah, it's definitely frustrating.
03:57 You go through your trials and tribulations with it.
03:58 And, you know, at the start,
03:59 you're kind of thinking about the things that you can't do.
04:02 And I think, you know,
04:03 one of the mental things that you have to get over is,
04:05 that's one of them.
04:06 It's just, you have to understand
04:07 what you can do out there on the field and, you know,
04:09 what it means to be out there and practicing.
04:11 And you only get limited opportunities with this stuff.
04:13 Like, we only got two more practices this year.
04:14 It's just wild, it's flown by.
04:16 And, you know, for us, it's just about, you know,
04:18 capitalizing on the time that when we're out there and,
04:20 you know, even if you're hurt and if you can go,
04:22 you got to go, you know, for this unit.
04:24 Cause especially, you know,
04:24 it's getting really competitive and, you know,
04:27 younger guys are getting a lot better.
04:28 There's guys getting better.
04:28 So, you know, injured, not injured, you know, 50%,
04:32 whatever your percentage is, it doesn't matter.
04:34 You gotta be, if you're good enough to play this day,
04:36 you gotta be ready to go.
04:37 - Bowl game, definitely.
04:38 I'll play back for the bowl game.
04:39 - Like directly after the bowl game, you don't know?
04:42 - Possibly, sometimes soon after the bowl game.
04:45 A day or two or whatever.
04:46 - You've got an NIL deal with Cheeser.
04:48 - That's right.
04:49 - How did that process work?
04:52 - Oh, well, I got an email, something about Cheez-It,
04:56 and I found out about it and I didn't see,
05:00 I didn't hear about the email like directly,
05:02 but I heard through someone else.
05:04 So I thought, why not just Cheez-It?
05:05 You know, why not just, just another opportunity
05:08 just to take advantage of all the NIL opportunity.
05:13 - How much has your preparation changed
05:19 since Tennessee announced,
05:22 Joe Milton decided he's gonna opt out?
05:24 - I can't say it hasn't changed at all.
05:27 It hasn't really changed at all.
05:29 We're gonna have to play somebody back there, you know?
05:33 And it's gonna be a town of QB.
05:35 So, I mean, we're just gonna have to beat 'em
05:38 on the day of the game.
05:40 - Thanks.
05:41 - Yeah, they're critical.
05:43 They're critical reps.
05:45 And like, they're gonna help push forward that program.
05:50 - Do you mind racing a little bit?
05:52 Sounds like you got the waiver to come back
05:54 if you want to, right?
05:55 - Yeah, I mean, that is, that's, yeah.
05:57 - How do you, like, compartmentalize that?
06:01 - It's kind of a weird time just to like, get it.
06:04 You know what I mean?
06:05 - Yeah, yeah.
06:06 - You're like, I don't really have another year.
06:08 And now it's like, whoa, you do.
06:10 So just trying to process it, talking to my family,
06:14 trying to get all the information,
06:15 trying to make the best decision for me.
06:18 And just honestly, the people around me too,
06:20 'cause honestly, this isn't all about me.
06:22 It's about a lot of people.
06:23 And a lot of people are impacted.
06:25 - Does Jay coming back affect you at all?
06:27 - I mean, yeah, I mean, for sure.
06:28 I mean, I think that having Jay here is critical.
06:31 I mean, it's crucial.
06:33 It's my best friend.
06:33 So, I mean, it's like, you have him.
06:35 So that means a lot for sure.
06:37 So, I mean, like, it's, yeah.
06:40 I mean, I love having an opportunity for Jay.
06:44 - How much did you enjoy your one year at Iowa?
06:46 We talked to Rusty yesterday and he was just like,
06:48 oh, it's like the best year ever.
06:50 - Oh, it's unreal.
06:51 I mean, just, I mean, you go out
06:52 and you play in a Kinnick stadium and you just like,
06:55 we just, we talked about it in the locker room all the time.
06:57 And they're like, it's third, damn.
06:59 Like, we're just messing around and just like all the calls,
07:02 all everything we go through in practice,
07:04 just how electric Kinnick is,
07:06 the false starts we can get opponents to get
07:09 because of how loud it is in there, the music blasts.
07:12 I mean, just, I mean, everything you work for,
07:14 it's just a college football dream to play at Kinnick
07:17 and just to play at Iowa, honestly,
07:20 like it's just been, it's been unreal.
07:21 Like even when we went to Wrigley, I mean,
07:24 you remember that?
07:24 That's, I mean, just the fans here, the culture here
07:27 and the guys here, the coaches here.
07:28 I mean, it's, it's unbelievable.
07:30 So I'm more than thankful for the experience.
07:32 - Nick, I'm sure there are a lot of pros and cons
07:34 going both ways.
07:35 What are like the biggest factors
07:37 pulling you one way or another?
07:41 What are the things you're weighing most heavily?
07:43 - That's a good question.
07:45 Honestly, I think right now it's just a lot
07:47 of just processing and just,
07:50 I mean, a week ago, you didn't really know
07:53 this was an option, you know what I mean?
07:55 So it's kind of like, and then now you're about to play
07:59 the next game of your life.
07:59 So it's the biggest game of your life
08:00 because it's the next one.
08:02 So it's like, all right, like, you know,
08:04 you're focused on the game and you always want to keep
08:06 the main thing, the main thing.
08:08 And I mean, I want to play my heart out,
08:11 play my best game against Tennessee.
08:14 I mean, that's the objective right now for this team
08:16 and do whatever I can for this team right now.
08:18 - The next game is the most important game of your life.
08:20 That sounds pretty forensic.
08:23 Tell me about the way Kirk coaches now versus day one.
08:28 It feels like it's probably the same, right?
08:30 - Oh yeah.
08:31 I mean, he's just, he's the most consistent person.
08:34 He's just got the same energy, same level.
08:36 And I mean, he's just unbelievable.
08:38 I mean, every time you speak with him,
08:41 you just listen and coach Ferentz is a guy I want to emulate.
08:44 I mean, that's a man I want to emulate, sorry.
08:48 And that's just, it's just unbelievable.
08:51 So I'm really thankful to play for him.
08:52 I'm thankful for the opportunity
08:53 and it's just been an unreal experience.
08:55 - How's your confidence?
08:58 - Still the same.
08:59 You know, I feel good.
09:00 I got a lot of confidence in this team.
09:01 You know, this team, we're one of the,
09:03 defense is one of the best, you know,
09:04 offense, we're getting better each week.
09:06 So just the confidence level of the team is up there.
09:09 - Were you able to change anything,
09:10 Caleb Brown talked yesterday about like, you know,
09:14 like game plan, you know,
09:15 is there anything else you've been differently
09:17 with all this time to prepare for?
09:19 - Yeah, I think, I think bowl prep is, you know,
09:21 obviously it's a huge developmental phase
09:23 for the young guys and for everybody, you know,
09:24 it's an opportunity for everybody to get better.
09:26 And I think for at least me in the receiving room,
09:28 it's just able to get a lot of chemistry done.
09:30 You know, it's a lot of throws you're putting in every day,
09:32 a lot of catches you're getting together.
09:33 So I think just building that chemistry
09:35 throughout the past month has been, you know,
09:36 really beneficial.
09:37 - Anyone in particular being able to work with a lot,
09:39 like, you know,
09:40 - You know, obviously like the guys that have, you know,
09:42 beginning in there,
09:43 Bostick's been getting a lot of catches, you know,
09:45 KB, obviously, Nico, Weege, you know, all of them,
09:49 Seth, you know, just getting more and more reps
09:51 with each one of them, because, you know, reps never hurt.
09:54 - Working closely with Brian,
09:56 is this like maybe special for you,
09:57 you kind of want to help him a lot?
10:00 - Yeah, I think it sits in the back of your mind that,
10:01 you know, it's kind of Brian's last game.
10:02 So you want to do well for him,
10:04 but at the same time, you know, he's like, you know,
10:05 it doesn't matter what's going on with me, you know,
10:07 we got a game to win and, you know,
10:08 just go out there and do it for yourselves.
10:10 It's like, do it for the team, you know,
10:11 all that matters is team first, so.
10:13 - Have you seen Caleb Brown kind of grow on and off the
10:15 field over the last three months?
10:17 - Yeah, I think just like level of maturity.
10:19 I think, you know, everybody goes through it.
10:20 I've gone through it, especially this year,
10:22 just level of maturity that we've all grown to.
10:25 And just the way he approaches it each day, you know,
10:28 for him is, you know, kind of hard, you know,
10:30 earlier in the season, you know,
10:30 it wasn't gonna be as many reps during the game and stuff.
10:32 So it's always, always harder to like come in,
10:35 approach every day when you're not a good player
10:36 or anything like that,
10:37 but he's done a real good job throughout the year,
10:38 coming in, approaching every day like it's his last.
10:41 Just seeing him grow on the mental side of the game too,
10:43 you know, he's done a really nice job.
10:44 And we talk a lot about, you know,
10:46 we'll go through a play, come back,
10:48 we'll talk through what he saw, what I saw,
10:49 and then we'll get on the same page about it.
10:52 So yeah, it's just been really nice to see all that.
10:54 - Knowing Cade's coming back, obviously next year,
10:56 what does this game mean for you,
10:57 knowing that he's coming back?
10:58 You know, you don't know,
11:00 maybe when you'll start another game.
11:01 - Yeah, you know, the future's the future.
11:03 - Yeah.
11:04 - You know, we'll wait and see what happens.
11:06 We'll just focus on the team.
11:07 Whatever I need to do to help this team win,
11:10 I was gonna say Saturday, on Monday,
11:12 whatever I need to do to help this team win,
11:13 that's what I'm gonna do.
11:14 I'm not too focused on the future,
11:15 you know, we'll deal with it when it comes,
11:17 you know, whenever it may be.
11:18 But the first team, the first thing is this team.
11:21 That's all that matters.